Flashlights machined in Ontario, California since 1979.
1979
Ontario, California
Ontario, California
Founder-owned
✓ Made in USA
Where Maglite flashlights are made
Manufacturing
Ontario, California, USA. Mag Instrument machines its full line of Maglite flashlights from solid aircraft-grade aluminum in the same Southern California plant where the company has operated since the 1950s, employing more than 800 American workers.
Domestic sourcing
Founder Anthony Maglica insisted that components be procured in the United States, not just assembled here. Mag Instrument runs a deeply vertically-integrated operation — machining, anodizing, and assembly all happen under one American roof.
The honest note: Maglite flashlights are manufactured in Ontario, California. As with any flashlight, some consumable parts like batteries and bulbs may be sourced elsewhere — the products we feature are the USA-made lights themselves.
The story
Anthony “Tony” Maglica, the son of Croatian immigrants, founded Mag Instrument in 1955 with a single lathe in a small Ontario, California machine shop. In 1979 he introduced the Maglite — a rugged, machined-aluminum flashlight that quickly became standard issue for police officers, firefighters, and households across America. More than four decades later, Maglica still owns the company and still builds its flashlights in California, choosing American manufacturing over the offshoring that swallowed most of the consumer-electronics industry.
Why Buy American Campaign features Maglite
Maglite is living proof that a precision consumer product can be mass-manufactured in the United States and still beat imported rivals on quality and durability. Every Maglite bought keeps more than 800 Californians at work and a 70-year-old American manufacturer independent and onshore. For a flashlight you may hand down to your kids, that is buying American at its most practical.
Frequently asked questions
Are Maglite flashlights made in the USA?
Yes. Mag Instrument manufactures its full line of Maglite flashlights in Ontario, California.
Who owns Maglite?
Founder Anthony Maglica still owns and runs Mag Instrument, the company behind Maglite.
How long has Maglite been made in California?
Mag Instrument has operated in Ontario, California since 1955, and the Maglite flashlight launched in 1979.
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